A few years ago I was able to witness the ordination of my closest friend here in Davao. A few days following that big event, we joined him in his thanksgiving mass in Agusan del Sur where we met his family and some of his relatives. It was the first time that I have encountered his siblings for some conversations. It was there that I noticed how they shared a number of characteristics. Aside from the noticeable facial features that they share, they also have similarities by the way they stand, the manner of speaking and even in some mannerisms.
I have noticed that in my own family too. Although each one of us in the family are distinct from one another, most of my friends would always say that they see in me the characteristic of my mother and my father or at times they would claim that I am like my brother or my sister. I believe that we differ in a lot of ways but our similarities are almost always noticed.
Perhaps you have noticed that in your own family too. Most children are almost always like their parents in so many ways. Siblings share a lot of common attitudes too- ways of thinking and how they see and interact with people around them. But what fascinates me, my dear brothers and sisters, are those married couples who are not related to each other at all but appear to share facial features and would come across as siblings because they look the same. From these married couples, we could see how love transforms- two distinct individuals who are one and the same.
Today, we celebrate the solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. The mystery of the Trinity is not very easy to understand- One God in 3 persons. However, for us to understand the mystery of the Trinity, we need to look at the Trinity from the eyes of human relationships. In order for us to appreciate the Trinity we need to look at it from our own experience of relationships.
We need to look at the Holy Trinity as a perfect community / family. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are all distinct from one another, yet, they are one God, one community. They are related to one another in love. It is love that binds them. It is love that transforms them and makes them one.
Our readings today give us a glimpse of the wonderful relationship that they have. It reminds us that because of the love that makes them one, each of them is active in us and in our history. The Book of Proverbs in the first reading tells us that the Father is the one who creates everything, puts all things in order. However, it is also from the first reading where we hear that God the Creator was never alone in the work of creation. "When he established the heavens I was there, when he marked out the vault over the face of the deep; When he made firm the skies above, when he fixed fast the foundations of the earth, I was there. Then was I beside him as his craftsman, and I was his delight day by day, Playing before him all the while, playing on the surface of his earth.” This is a clear image for all of us that because of their love for one another, the work of one becomes the work of everyone. God the creator, is acknowledgedas the Creator however, He was never alone in the work of Creation. Someone was beside Him,someone was His delight day by day.
In the second reading we hear the role of the Son in our lives- if we believe in him, He brings us grace and assures us of our salvation. Paul shares his reflections on being justified by faith (made right by believing in Jesus). By faith in Jesus, we are entitled to live in peace with God and we have access to his graces and we can look forward to participate in his glory. The works of Jesus is not a solitary work, It is not a work directed to Himself but his salvific work, is a mission that would lead everyone back to the Father.
And in our gospel we hear of the Holy Spirit leading us to the full truth, to understand the fullness of God’s revelation. From the short gospel reading, we also are given the glimpse of the dynamism (activities) of each of the persons in the Holy Trinity. The Father shares with the Son whatever belongs to him. The Son acknowledges that whatever belongs to him belongs to the Father. He is willing to share with us all that he has / is. The Holy Spirit does not speak for himself but for the Son and the Father. He comes to guide us to the truth. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit act together as one God in us. They do not act separately or contradict one another. My dear brothers and sisters, the readings that we have heard today paint to us an image of what a perfect community the Trinity is!
My dear Brothers Sisters the feast today reminds us of what our families, parishes or communities should be. We are invited to recognize our differences and uniqueness but are invited to live in unity and love. We have been baptized in the name of the Holy Trinity. As Christians professing faith to the Trinity, we ought to live our relationships following the example of the Trinity.
As we continue the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, we pray for the grace we need so that we too would imitate the love and unity of the Trinity. May we always remember that we best worship our God by imitating the discipline and activity of the Triune God. We pray that we too would be transformed by their love and grow not only in faith but also in becoming an image and likeness of the Trinity not only in our family and community but also to every person we meet and encounter. May we strive to gradually become an image and likeness of the Trinity by becoming instruments of God’s love in all our relationships. |Amen.
-danielangelolao
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